Micro-scale reactors are known, which provide high rates of heat and mass transfer. Conventional microfabrication processes are known, whereby cheap mass-production is nowadays available. In addition, well-controlled laminar flows can be achieved, thanks to known techniques.
The demonstration of microfluidic electrochemical energy conversion was first reported in 2002 (see e.g., Ferrigno et al., Journal of the American Chemical Society 124, 12930-1 (2002); Choban et al., Power Sources Proceedings 40, 317-320 (2002)).
Several patents (applications) have been filed in this field or in neighboring fields which illustrate the background art, for instance: U.S. Pat. No. 7,758,814 B2; US 2012 0070766 A1; U.S. Pat. No. 7,651,797 B2; U.S. Pat. No. 7,435,503 B2; WO 2010 083219 A1; CA 2354513 C; US 2009/0291347 A1 and U.S. Pat. No. 7,909,971 B2. The list is not exhaustive. Some papers are available in the non-Patent Literature (not mentioned).